Dene K’e is spoken in the far Northeast corner of British Columbia, the southeast corner of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and northern Alberta. The language is called Dene Tha’ where it is spoken in northern Alberta and has been known by the English name "Slave". In spite of its originally pejorative sense, the term "Slave" is in often used by Dene K’e people when speaking English and is a translation of Cree "awahka:n" meaning "captive/slave"1.
The people of the Fort Nelson First Nation are the only Dene K’e speaking community in British Columbia2.
| First Nation | Population | Fluent Speakers | Understand or Speak Somewhat | Learning Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Nelson First Nation3 | 884 | 58 | 128 | 154 |
| Total | 884 | 58 | 128 | 154 |